The Dallas Cowboys kicked off their third appearance on HBO's "Hard Knocks" on Tuesday, becoming the NFL leader in appearances on the pro football training camp documentary series.
Here are four takeaways from the first episode:
1. Dak Prescott works hard — The most telling part of how Prescott's training camp is going can be summarized in his GPS score after day one, when he scored a 575, which, according to the Cowboys' metrics, means that he was working too hard too early. There was no better example of that than when the muscles in his throwing arm got sore, an injury thread that has been giving Cowboys fans anxiety since.
Fans also got to see how competitive Prescott is on the practice field and how much he desires to be out on the field. It was also amusing to see Prescott play the straight man to some of running back Ezekiel Elliott's antics, including stealing his bike and stuffing his face with birthday cake.
2. Make Zeke fun again — Speaking of the two-time NFL rushing champion, the perception of Elliott through his first few seasons in the league has been that he is just an off-field incident away from getting suspended again. The show portrayed Elliott as a big kid, a tax-paying, big-contract 15-year-old who just doesn't want to take life too seriously. It was best exemplified in his wrapping Prescott's birthday gift.
At first, Elliott wanted to do a professional quality job, and watched a YouTube video. When Elliott's efforts were starting to get sloppy, he rolled with it. He didn't start over; he didn't get frustrated. Elliott completed the package in his own way, and, ultimately, it was just the gift Prescott needed.
3. Mike McCarthy has personality — One of the complaints about the old regime was Jason Garrett was robotic. McCarthy is more demonstrative with his emotions behind the scenes, and he conveyed a level of frustration fans can appreciate.
The last time McCarthy hoisted a Lombardi Trophy was 10 years ago, which has to feel as long as the Cowboys fans' 25-year wait. McCarthy also provides enough quips and one-liners that the appearances on "Hard Knocks” are entertaining at least.
4. Micah Parsons is an alpha — The first-rounder from Penn State may only be 22 years old, but the demeanor and bearing he has indicates that he will be a leader on the team in the years to come. Parsons can also back up his talk with his play, and he even has the humility to admit he got burned on a wheel route and congratulate fullback Sewo Olonilua.
The realization for Parsons that he would have to sit around for the next nine hours after scooping up the fumble in the first quarter of the Hall of Fame Game was relatable, and probably how Cowboys fans feel waiting all week for episode two.
Are you excited to continue following Cowboys training camp via Hard Knocks? Share your thoughts with Mark on Twitter @therealmarklane.
